New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-02-21
DOUBrs ABOUT THE TREASURY.

On ths priuciple that there must be some hre
whara there ia much smoke, it must be sup
no.sd that the President is really thinking
somewhat seriously of n radical change OF
policy in his selection of Secretary OF the
Treasury. In every respect save one, his seiec-
| ton of Mr.. Manning was mistake But re-
port credits him with desire to change, not in
the many respects in which he was wrong, but
in the ole thing where he was right, and be-
cause in the one right thing he was at war with
| hs party while in the many wrong things he
has been supported by his party heartily. Mr.
Manning was O spokesman, and believed in
using the public service as machine for party
ends, and that pleased the Democratic party
He WAS Free Trader, and that pleased the
party. He believed in more paper currency
and in expanding it lavishly to make business
| lively before election and that pleased Demo-
Gratis precisely But he did not believe in con-
| tinued silver coinage, and for that his party
hated him. If report Is to be credited Mr..
Cleveland would like to find Western Demo-
ratio leader whose management of the Treasury
Department would place the Administration In
harmony with Western and Southern Demo-
Gratis.
Among the men whom the President is sup
posed to be considering seriously with regard
to the Treasuryship are Speaker Carlisle and
Minister Pendleton. Both are Free Traders,
and both believe in more money, in soft money
and In sily or coinage. Both represent Western
Democratic ideas of finance, but Mr.. Pendle-
toms selection would help to resuscitate the
idea that the President actually favors Civil
Service reform. The President has not much
love for some Of the men who politically
slaughtered Mr. Pendleton, and he wants some
man in his Cabinet of influence and considcra-
ton at the West, where Mr.. Villas is neither
liked nor respected. Speaker Carlisle could
help him vastly more in that section, but he ia
a not unprOmsing candidate for the succession,
and might easily gain more of popularity than
the President himself by any modification of
the Administrators policy. 1t Is very doubt
full, too, whether either of these Democrats
would accept the position it asked.
Able and upright as these men are, neither
of them would be happy substitute for Mr..
Manning. Neither of them needs to be taken
on the ground that the President cannot find
any suitable person who holds the opinions he
has hitherto professed. Mr.. Fairchild is not
strong stick of timber. But he knows some
thing of the opinions Of practical business men
on monetary questions. Mr.. Scott, OF Pennsyl-
vauia, is a man of influence in his State,
quanted with business affairs, possessed of ex-
ecutive faculty, and especially Jealous and
strong in Ombating soft money ana silver fall
lacies If it is politically necessary to find
Secretary at the West, the President need not
search in vain for men of character, ability, in
fuence and sound views regarding money. If
he chooses man in sympathy with the West
ern aud Southern Democrats in that matter, it
must be for the reason that he has concluded to
surrender the position taken in his ante
inaugural letter ON silver coinage, aud in his
earlier messages.
There have been sigos not few that the
President was disposed to yield to his party on
the money question. Several OF these have
been mentioned, with growing suspicion that
some of the m ost intelligent convictions of the
President were buried in Mr.. Tden't grave. 1t
may be only an accident that Mr. Tiden's
especial representatives in the Government,
Mr.. Manning and Mr. Jordan, should DO the
first to retire from 1t, but the rumors at Wash
linton do not make it easy to credit that expla-
nation. IL a change of policy were intended
by the President, his first step would neces-
sarily be to sever the connection with the Sec
rotary and the Treasurer who have given
strong expression to the monetary ideas which
Mr.. Tilden held to the end.